In February last year we were visited by a group of friends from the U.S.. They brought with them first aid supplies for the school and provided first aid training sessions for adults and children (Old friends and new ideas – Feb 2017).
We live in a tough and dangerous environment, accidents are common and as we are far from any medical facilities we need to be our own ‘first responders’. The training, education materials and the first aid supplies they provided have been extremely valuable to the school and the community surrounding it.
The value of their support has never been more apparent than during these last 8 weeks of torrential rain. Flooding cut off the school, and much of the community, for days at a time. Even when we could get across the rivers the journey to Isiolo, and the nearest hospital, took a minimum of three hours. More often than not 4x4s were getting bogged down over night and motorbike passengers forced to walk long muddy stretches. All this made getting people to hospital very difficult.
A school in a remote location in northern Kenya has many challenges, being presented with people in need of medical care is one of them. We have done our best to provide first aid for, amongst other things, broken bones, severe burns, and wounds of every description. I am extremely grateful to our friends for helping us with the skills and the tools to do this.
(As if that were not enough this rather lovely group of people also provide financial support, mentoring, architectural services, planning advice, and outpourings of love that we can feel from half way around the world. You guys rock!)